CARLSBAD–Carlsbad Village Farmers Market recently acquired SonRise Ranch meats as a new vendor. SonRise Ranch farms 43 acres in Carmel Valley which is in Monterey County just north of Big Sur. SonRise Ranch uses unique ranching methods where their cows, pigs and chickens are raised in a rotational micro-ecosystem. This system demands very little from the environment and produces superior naturally-raised meats.
It starts with California sunlight and fresh water pumped from their deep wells to irrigate the native grass pastures. They use no pesticides on the grass, instead the chickens roam free to feed on the bugs that eat the grass during the day. At night the chickens stay in portable chicken tractors (a type of coop) to protect them from predators. These tractors are rotated around the farm so that the chicken waste is dispersed to add nutritional value to the ground. This natural fertilizer helps the native pastures grow healthy grass which they then feed to the cows.
SonRise cows feed mostly on this pasture grass, sometimes hay, but never corn. Cows who feed on grass produce a rich and delicious milk in very large quantities, far more than their calves can drink. The excess milk is then fed to the pigs who also live in the pastures where they root around and till the land where the grass grows. The pigs are also fed pre-consumer waste (like cut produce leftovers from restaurants). Milk-fed pork raised humanely on open spaces produces an excellent taste.
None of the animals are given anti-biotics which interferes with their natural growth and the entire rotational micro-ecosystem is co-dependent on the earth, the sky and the natural habits of these animals. As a result, truly humanely-raised, free-range, natural meat is grown.
SonRise Ranch is increasing awareness and recognition of grass-fed and free-range products by bringing their natural meats to local farmers markets. Carlsbad Village Farmers Markets has added SonRise Ranch meats to their Saturday farmers market. As customer demand increases, SonRise plans to expand into the Wednesday farmers market as well.
Carlsbad Village Farmers Market is located in the Public Parking Lot at 2930 Roosevelt Street between Carlsbad Village Drive and Grand Avenue. The markets run every Wednesday and Saturday from 1-5 p.m.
